1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a tray door attachment structure for a disk device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tray door attachment structure for a disk device in which a torsion coil spring biases a tray door in a closing direction.
2. Background Information
A conventional example of a tray door attachment structure will be described through reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a tray door attachment structure 102 includes a tray door 103 and a torsion coil spring 108. The tray door 103 is attached to a front panel 112 of a disk device. The torsion coil spring 108 biases the tray door 103 to close a tray; opening 113 of the front panel 112.
The tray door 103 is equipped with a door body 104, a door arm 105 and a support shaft 106. The tray door 103 is integrally molded from a synthetic resin. The door body 104 is molded in the form of a relatively thin plate and is longer side to side. The door arm 105 has a right arm element 151 and a left arm element (not shown) formed on both lateral sides of the door body 104. The right arm element 151 is formed in a bow-shape, and leads to the door body 104 via the tray opening 113. On the right arm element 151, reinforcing ribs 153 and 154 are formed laterally outwardly along the inner and outer edges of the right arm element 151, and a protrusion 155 is formed continuously with the reinforcing rib 154. The support shaft 106 has a right shaft element 161 and a left shaft element (not shown) formed laterally outwardly on the right arm element 151 and the left arm element respectively.
The torsion coil spring 108 is provided between the front panel 112 and the tray door 103 to bias the tray door 103 in its closing direction. The torsion coil spring 108 has a coil 180 and first and second arms 181 and 182 that extend from the coil 180. The coil 180 is fitted to and supported by the right shaft element 161. The first arm 181 abuts a rear face 112a of the front panel 112, while the second arm 182 abuts an upper face 155a of the protrusion 155.
The tray door attachment structure 102 is attached to the front panel 112 by fitting the support shaft 106 to a bearing portion 107 formed on the front panel 112. The bearing portion 107 has a right bearing element 171 and a left bearing element (not shown) formed laterally apart from each other on the rear face 112a of the front panel 112. The right bearing element 171 and the left bearing element have shaft holes respectively. While the tray door attachment structure 102 is being attached to the front panel 112, the door body 104 is bent in a curved shape while the support shaft 106 is fitted to the shaft holes of the bearing portion 107. Then the door body 104 is returned to its initial shape.
Meanwhile, since the first and second arms 181 and 182 merely abut the rear face 112a and the upper face 155a, the torsion coil spring 108 will readily fall off of the support shaft 106 if the support shaft 106 should for some reason come out of the shaft holes of the bearing portion 107. Specifically, because the door body 104 is molded very thin and bends easily, it is conceivable that the support shaft 106 could come out of the shaft holes of the bearing portion 107 in the event of some stress or strain on the door body 104. If something like this should happen, the torsion coil spring 108 would fall off from the support shaft 106 and into the interior of the disk device, and in some cases this could short out the circuit of the wiring board and cause a malfunction.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved tray door attachment structure. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.